This presentation will cover the facts of GMOs in crop agriculture and gardening from the history of GMOs to the science behind how GMOs are made and examples of modern applications within plant sciences. This session will include opportunities for interactive audience engagement.

Kimberly Cochran, Ph.D., is an extension plant pathologist in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&M University. She works with a variety of pathogens and crops with a special focus on specialty crops and vegetables. Dr. Cochran also provides diverse educational programming to youth and adults across southwest Texas and beyond.

Hannah Ayala is the Head Plant Disease Diagnostician at the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (TPDDL) in College Station, Texas. In this role, she leads efforts to diagnose plant diseases using conventional and molecular laboratory techniques. Hannah oversees diagnostic protocols to identify pests and pathogens of concern and provides disease management guidance to growers and the agriculture/green industry.

Hannah gained expertise in plant pathology, plant disease diagnostics, and pest management while pursuing a B.S. in Bioenvironmental Sciences at Texas A&M and later working as a TPDDL Extension Assistant. She is also currently completing her M.S. in Plant Pathology at Riverside University of California, where she has focused on the epidemiology of onion downy mildew in southern California.

Passionate about sustainable agriculture, Hannah is dedicated to educating growers and agricultural professionals to enhance disease prevention and ensure healthier, more resilient plants.